An early morning explosion at DAB Constructors in Leesburg was heard throughout the tri-county area Thursday.
Leesburg Police officers and Lake County sheriff’s deputies quickly responded to the blast around 6 a.m., as did crews from the Leesburg Fire Department and Lake County Fire Rescue. There were no injuries reported, according to the Leesburg Police Department.
The blast, which rattled homes as far away as The Villages and Umatilla, happened in the wee hours of the morning at the asphalt facility at 1233 Commerce Street. It was being blamed on a faulty valve on one of the company’s hoppers.
Pennbrooke Fairways resident Sharon Dodsworth said the explosion rattled her home and scared her dog to the point that he was still hiding in his crate a good hour after the incident. Villager Carolyn L. Kerkela reported hearing it loud and clear on the Historic Side of The Villages. And Megan Perry said every dog in her Umatilla neighborhood started barking at the same time when the blast occurred.